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Conference Realignment

Ian

Ian

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It's coming with the news that the B12 has forgone expansion probably with pressure from UT and Oklahoma who want in the SEC because Texas needs to be with TA&M and the Oklahoma schools follow.

The SEC pays off Missouri to depart and they join the B1G along with Iowa St as that balances out the B1G conference, east/west. Purdue and Indiana go east.

The ACC takes WVU and UConn. It's all about BBall for them.

The PAC 12 takes the two Kansas schools along with Baylor and TTech and allows them to setup the "original" coastal teams and the "newbies" in separate divisions which is what all four conferences will set up, two eight team divisions.

The sport becomes very regionalized with teams playing 7 divisional foes, 3 conference foes, and 2 OOC foes to allow for some rivalries to continue. It also allows for ND and BYU to find their place in the scramble because they remain independent.

Divisional champs meet to crown a conference champion with winners advancing on to the final four.

The first domino has fallen as the Big 12 has surrendered. The rest will be worked out in the next year or two.

Enjoy the show.
 
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Looks like BYU sent out a message they'd be willing to joint a Power 5 conference if the conference made it worth their while ($$`wise).
 
ISU in the Big Ten is crazy talk. There's no way the conference will have two schools in the same state aside from what already exists. The lone exception would be if Notre Dame joined and that's not going to happen either.
 
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Ian said:
It's coming with the news that the B12 has forgone expansion probably with pressure from UT and Oklahoma who want in the SEC because Texas needs to be with TA&M and the Oklahoma schools follow.

The SEC pays off Missouri to depart and they join the B1G along with Iowa St as that balances out the B1G conference, east/west. Purdue and Indiana go east.

The ACC takes WVU and UConn. It's all about BBall for them.

The PAC 12 takes the two Kansas schools along with Baylor and TTech and allows them to setup the "original" coastal teams and the "newbies" in separate divisions which is what all four conferences will set up, two eight team divisions.

The sport becomes very regionalized with teams playing 7 divisional foes, 3 conference foes, and 2 OOC foes to allow for some rivalries to continue. It also allows for ND and BYU to find their place in the scramble because they remain independent.

Divisional champs meet to crown a conference champion with winners advancing on to the final four.

The first domino has fallen as the Big 12 has surrendered. The rest will be worked out in the next year or two.

Enjoy the show.
Click to expand...

Isn't Indiana already in the b1g East Division?
 
Yep. Iowa State moves the viewer/revenue meters by double nailing down all of those acres of corn.
It is unwise to pay for the same real estate twice. Especially farmfields.
 
I doubt Texas would ever join the sec. Delany should have his head examined if the next 2 teams added are Iowa state and Missouri. It's Texas or bust in the next round of expansion for the big ten - not sure who would come with them.
 
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Ian said:
It's coming with the news that the B12 has forgone expansion probably with pressure from UT and Oklahoma who want in the SEC because Texas needs to be with TA&M and the Oklahoma schools follow.

The SEC pays off Missouri to depart and they join the B1G along with Iowa St as that balances out the B1G conference, east/west. Purdue and Indiana go east.

The ACC takes WVU and UConn. It's all about BBall for them.

The PAC 12 takes the two Kansas schools along with Baylor and TTech and allows them to setup the "original" coastal teams and the "newbies" in separate divisions which is what all four conferences will set up, two eight team divisions.

The sport becomes very regionalized with teams playing 7 divisional foes, 3 conference foes, and 2 OOC foes to allow for some rivalries to continue. It also allows for ND and BYU to find their place in the scramble because they remain independent.

Divisional champs meet to crown a conference champion with winners advancing on to the final four.

The first domino has fallen as the Big 12 has surrendered. The rest will be worked out in the next year or two.

Enjoy the show.
Click to expand...
Nope. Iowa State brings nothing to the B1G. Except a sometimes good basketball team made up from transfers and castoffs from other programs. In a small state, and no national following.

Missouri doesn't bring much more. They're like Iowa... a couple of good years sandwiched in some mediocre to bad years. Not a huge following nationally.

There's no reason to take those teams just to get to some mythical 16. There may be 4 "power" conferences when it's all said and done, but they don't need to have 16, and just because teams were in the B12 doesn't guarantee them a spot in a power conference.

Texas does not want to go to the SEC due to lack of academics--unless something has changed. Oklahoma would go, but would prefer the B1G.

In the end, I think Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas (blue blood basketball) get a spot at the table. WVU probably gets in the ACC or SEC. Everyone else drops down a level (unless a conference takes someone just to balance the divisions). UCONN may have a chance due to basketball of moving up, but a basketball school can survive in a non power conference. Baylor and Houston might get a look from the PAC or (less likely) the SEC due to recent football success.

You can see my post in another thread for more reasoning, but it should be Texas and Oklahoma to the B1G. Maybe Kansas, which means someone gets lucky to balance things out... UCONN, or if the SEC wants to, they could release Missouri to the B1G and replace with WVU. Otherwise I see WVU to the ACC along with maybe Memphis or Cinncinati getting lucky to balance out the numbers.

The other scenario I see is Texas and Kansas to the B1G, Oklahoma and WVU to the SEC.

We shall see.
 
Ian said:
It's coming with the news that the B12 has forgone expansion probably with pressure from UT and Oklahoma who want in the SEC because Texas needs to be with TA&M and the Oklahoma schools follow.

The SEC pays off Missouri to depart and they join the B1G along with Iowa St as that balances out the B1G conference, east/west. Purdue and Indiana go east.

The ACC takes WVU and UConn. It's all about BBall for them.

The PAC 12 takes the two Kansas schools along with Baylor and TTech and allows them to setup the "original" coastal teams and the "newbies" in separate divisions which is what all four conferences will set up, two eight team divisions.

The sport becomes very regionalized with teams playing 7 divisional foes, 3 conference foes, and 2 OOC foes to allow for some rivalries to continue. It also allows for ND and BYU to find their place in the scramble because they remain independent.

Divisional champs meet to crown a conference champion with winners advancing on to the final four.

The first domino has fallen as the Big 12 has surrendered. The rest will be worked out in the next year or two.

Enjoy the show.
Click to expand...

Enjoy rehab!
 
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TV companies will have more influence than college presidents. The money is just too big. ESPN has the LN and SEC. They won't give them up but will combine them and partner with CBS. I would love for the BTN to work something out with NBC in order to grab ND. But will they? Doubt it! Fox would align with the PAC 12 network to showcase the west. ABC with the ACC...
 
Ian said:
TV companies will have more influence than college presidents. The money is just too big. ESPN has the LN and SEC. They won't give them up but will combine them and partner with CBS. I would love for the BTN to work something out with NBC in order to grab ND. But will they? Doubt it! Fox would align with the PAC 12 network to showcase the west. ABC with the ACC...
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TV companies can advise and tell conferences what they are willing to pay, but it's the university Presidents that actually vote and make these decisions. Not the commissioners, not the networks.

TLN is losing gobs of money. Don't assume ESPN wouldn't be willing to pull the plug on it.
 
Ian said:
Missouri and ISU are both AAU members, if that is an important element.
Click to expand...

What does Iowa State bring to the table to justify other conference members providing it about $40 million a year in revenue? Does Iowa State bring about $40 million in value to other members? How? A new market? Nope, Iowa is covered by the Hawkeyes. (And Iowa isn't all that lush of a market.) A huge fan/alumni base? no again. A huge TV draw? no.
How does Iowa State make any economic sense for the B1G? Answer: it doesn't and Iowa State to the Big Ten ain't happening.

And the B1G passed on Missouri when Mizzou wanted desparately to join. What has changed to make Missouri an attractive candidate to the B1G? Answer: nothing.
 
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BYU is about as trendy as the state of NC with their stance on LGBT. They are currently burnt toast to the media savy conferences.
 
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Iowa State would be an absolutely terrible addition, it wouldn't even be worth expanding. We don't need another Rutgers, Indiana or Purdue in a bad media market we already have. In a perfect world we could get Oklahoma for west and Notre Dame for the east, but I just don't see Notre Dame giving up all that tv money and scheduling freedom just to play second fiddle to Ohio state and Michigan. Problem with trying to get Oklahoma is that Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are probably a package deal which isn't a big deal athletically and financially since Ok State generates a decent amount of money. The issue would be academically both OU and Ok State are not AAU members and it would be hard enough to justify another non aau member without another academically prestigious school to balance it out let alone two of them. B1G prides itself on academics and shouldn't stop now. Personally if we could get Oklahoma alone I'd also like to add BYU to the west since its a new market rich with tradition and good academics, then move Purdue to the east. BYU and maybe a Georgia Tech would also be worth considering.
 
I say we blow up all of the conferences and establish 4 regional areas, defined by state and balanced so that there was equal number of colleges and near equal number of TV viewers in each region. All 128 Division 1 teams be assigned to a region and compete in a relegation format. This leaves 32 teams in each region and three 8 team tiers/levels in each region. I'm not sure of the formula for relegation, but I would guess the criteria could be taken from European football. Then, the scheduling and TV negotiation would be centralized (not run by the NCAA, but a commissioner).
 
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Academics will be the LAST thing that influences how this all plays out. "College" football- lol.
 
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Doesn't Texas have its own TV network? I thought that was one of the major hurdles for entering the Big Ten - they didn't want to give that up. Why would they roll over now for the SEC? Of course, ND always claimed that they would never join a conference but now they are in the ACC.
 
Vtech, uva please

If two more North Carolina and a team from the west like notre dame, byu or big 12 team.
 
Texas and ND would be the ultimate pair to add but not sure ND is in play. That has always been Delaney's targets... and would be an absolute grand slam if he can pull it off before departing. Talk about a legacy. The Oklahoma schools would go SEC, then, and the ACC would grab the Kansas schools or WVU and UConn. Again, the ACC is all about BBall.
 
Ian said:
It's coming with the news that the B12 has forgone expansion probably with pressure from UT and Oklahoma who want in the SEC because Texas needs to be with TA&M and the Oklahoma schools follow.

The SEC pays off Missouri to depart and they join the B1G along with Iowa St as that balances out the B1G conference, east/west. Purdue and Indiana go east.

The ACC takes WVU and UConn. It's all about BBall for them.

The PAC 12 takes the two Kansas schools along with Baylor and TTech and allows them to setup the "original" coastal teams and the "newbies" in separate divisions which is what all four conferences will set up, two eight team divisions.

The sport becomes very regionalized with teams playing 7 divisional foes, 3 conference foes, and 2 OOC foes to allow for some rivalries to continue. It also allows for ND and BYU to find their place in the scramble because they remain independent.

Divisional champs meet to crown a conference champion with winners advancing on to the final four.

The first domino has fallen as the Big 12 has surrendered. The rest will be worked out in the next year or two.

Enjoy the show.
Click to expand...
If we (the B1G) could just pick the next 2 teams to join the new super conference, we would choose Texas and Oklahoma, or ND and anyone else (as long as ND joined). These 2 scenarios are very unlikely for many reasons, but mainly because of lucrative TV deals that both ND and TX have.Therefore, the more likely additional 2 teams would be Pitt and Oklahoma, but that isn't going to sit well with most Penn State fans (but I would love it!).
 
Vtech, uva please

If two more North Carolina and a team from the west like notre dame, byu or big 12 team.
 
Jerademan74 said:
If we (the B1G) could just pick the next 2 teams to join the new super conference, we would choose Texas and Oklahoma, or ND and anyone else (as long as ND joined). These 2 scenarios are very unlikely for many reasons, but mainly because of lucrative TV deals that both ND and TX have.Therefore, the more likely additional 2 teams would be Pitt and Oklahoma, but that isn't going to sit well with most Penn State fans (but I would love it!).
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Texas gets $15 million per year for TLN. But they don't have a conference network channel for income and the conference TV deal is significantly less than the B1G (and SEC).

Also, TLN has lost almost $50 million dollars so far. ESPN might be willing to dump it if Texas wanted out as a condition of joining another conference, to stem the bleeding. Timing is everything. Texas may continue to take ESPN's money until the contract runs out, however if it hasn't turned around, ESPN won't be renewing and by then conference expansion could be over. They could get stuck in a shit conference and no network at that point.

I will be shocked if anyone leaves the ACC, unless it's a mutual agreement. Their commissioner has locked up the membership pretty well with the GOR, as long as the conference network gets off the ground. Ditto for ND, unless they have a top secret out clause. Their contract requires them to join the ACC in football if they join a conference in football.
 
I think the BIG should look at Houston. Hear me out before everyone goes crazy. Houston has a huge TV market and is growing, has arguably the best recruiting area in all of Texas and has the will to grow in athletics. Plus does not come with all the headaches that you would get with Texas. Put them in the West with Nebraska Wisky and company and try and get Oklahoma to leave the Big 12 with them. Solid side of the conference plus you have the Nebraska vs Oklahoma rivalry restored and a footprint into Texas

BIG West
Nebraska #8
Wisconsin#10
Iowa
Illinois
N'Western
Minnesota
Houston#11
Oklahoma#16
 
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Jerademan74 said:
If we (the B1G) could just pick the next 2 teams to join the new super conference, we would choose Texas and Oklahoma, or ND and anyone else (as long as ND joined). These 2 scenarios are very unlikely for many reasons, but mainly because of lucrative TV deals that both ND and TX have.Therefore, the more likely additional 2 teams would be Pitt and Oklahoma, but that isn't going to sit well with most Penn State fans (but I would love it!).
Click to expand...
I think there is no way the Big Ten would extend an invite to Pitt--or they would have done it when they added Rutgers. And much as I think Oklahoma is a pretty nice place (I was just in OKC for a meeting), I'm not sure Oklahoma brings much to the conference either. Tulsa and OKC are not huge markets. And contrary to what some folks might think, academics will be part of the Big Ten's thinking. It won't be the main factor by a long shot--but it will be a factor.
 
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Tri-Power65 said:
I'm still trying to figure out how Buttgers got in to the BIG...
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The cable carrying contracts gave the B1G more per subscriber if the state had a B1G team in it. So (and I'm just grabbing numbers out of the air), if the cable companies gave the B1G 25 cents per subscriber per month for BTN for not having a B1G team in the state or coverage area, the agreement paid the B1G $1 per subscriber per month for having a team in the state. Basically, it was much cheaper for cable companies to carry BTN in a non B1G state (to encourage more outfits to carry it nationwide), but more expensive in states with high demand for the channel by the presence of a member institution. Lots of NJ (and rumored NYC was included) meant lots of extra $$$ from cable companies.

Also, Fox owns 51% of BTN. They also around the time of the Rutgers announcement bought into the YES Network which carried the Yankees primarily. They now own 80% of that. The long term strategy was to bundle BTN, YES Network and other sports channels when selling them to cable companies, similar to how Disney bundles their properties, including ESPN. You want ESPN on your cable system? Then you buy all of our channels. BTN with Rutgers, and YES with Yankees, together makes for a more compelling sell in NYC/NJ. So there was probably some pressure on the conference to take Rutgers.

Now, future media deals will probably be different, as cable slowly goes a la carte and the Internet becomes a prime distribution channel, which is why I think future expansion is more about national brands than cable subscribers in a state. But that was then.
 
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I say if you add Houston the city has 2.1 million people in it that is 2+ million TV sets not including Galveston and surrounding areas. That is over 6 million people alone.
 
kgilbert78 said:
I think there is no way the Big Ten would extend an invite to Pitt--or they would have done it when they added Rutgers. And much as I think Oklahoma is a pretty nice place (I was just in OKC for a meeting), I'm not sure Oklahoma brings much to the conference either. Tulsa and OKC are not huge markets. And contrary to what some folks might think, academics will be part of the Big Ten's thinking. It won't be the main factor by a long shot--but it will be a factor.
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Oklahoma brings a national brand in football and basketball. Future content delivery is probably moving to a la carte cable and the Internet. Large brands with a following beyond the alumni and locals will be needed for more compelling content to sell. Oklahoma/Texas, Oklahoma/Nebraska, Oklahoma/Michigan, etc. -- those are games people will pay to see, and that the networks will bid highly to broadcast. And you have to imagine that if you're selling games on the Internet or selling BTN to subscribers, that Oklahoma/Minnesota will generate more interest because of Oklahoma's following than a Houston/Minnesota game would.
 
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BlueBand said:
Oklahoma brings a national brand in football and basketball. Future content delivery is probably moving to a la carte cable and the Internet. Large brands with a following beyond the alumni and locals will be needed for more compelling content to sell. Oklahoma/Texas, Oklahoma/Nebraska, Oklahoma/Michigan, etc. -- those are games people will pay to see, and that the networks will bid highly to broadcast. And you have to imagine that if you're selling games on the Internet or selling BTN to subscribers, that Oklahoma/Minnesota will generate more interest because of Oklahoma's following than a Houston/Minnesota game would.
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Not sure I completely agree, but I complement you on a well thought out and reasoned argument for your position.
 
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The proper move would be for PSU ND and Maryland to join a new ACC.

Leave Rutgers in the BIG.

Let the BIG pick up Texas and Oklahoma or whatever scraps are left from the Big 12.

The ACC should be pushing hard for this. Sure there are contracts and we make money in the BIG, but we are alienating our fan base each year we are members.

LdN
 
LionDeNittany said:
The proper move would be for PSU ND and Maryland to join a new ACC.

Leave Rutgers in the BIG.

Let the BIG pick up Texas and Oklahoma or whatever scraps are left from the Big 12.

The ACC should be pushing hard for this. Sure there are contracts and we make money in the BIG, but we are alienating our fan base each year we are members.

LdN
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Winning cures a lot of ills. If we were winning more games, and winning more division and conference championships, we'd have a lot less "alienated" fans.

And I'll say it again, for those of you pissed at the corrupt B1G officials, let's see how you like some southern home cooking with their officials when a northern team, with no history in the conference, comes in and (you hope) threatens to upset the apple cart.
 
BlueBand said:
Winning cures a lot of ills. If we were winning more games, and winning more division and conference championships, we'd have a lot less "alienated" fans.

And I'll say it again, for those of you pissed at the corrupt B1G officials, let's see how you like some southern home cooking with their officials when a northern team, with no history in the conference, comes in and (you hope) threatens to upset the apple cart.
Click to expand...

I say alienating our fans because we play games in Iowa and Nebraska.

Our fanbase, despite what people think, is an eastern base. That's why our Dominate the state shirts have Maryland, NJ and PA.

I would guess, other than the above Ohio/Illinois, we have more fans in FL and NC than we do in the rest of the Big Ten areas combined.

No matter what people want us to believe, PSU is comprised of Philly, NJ and NY/DC area people. Not the midwest.

LdN
 
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